Kelly Rivard's roots in rural Illinois has given her a deep appreciation for agriculture. The graphic design track within IMS is giving her expertise with video production, social media and the Internet—which can benefit farmers and agriculture organizations—to forge her career. “The challenge is to help farmers gain access to the current technologies,” she says. “Some still have dial-up Internet access.”

She’s already become a video editor and is pursuing an English minor to polish her writing skills. Kelly has interned with AgChat Foundation, which teaches farmers and ranchers how social media can reach consumers; and also for the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and NutraHealth Media, a marketing company for health foods. “North Central gives you opportunities and you can build your career from there,” she says.